Halloween at Eastgate….55+ Style…lol..

Last nite we had our first Halloween Party in many years at Eastgate.  One of the residents Paulette and her husband Steve, love Halloween.  Its their favorite holiday.  So we started planning.  Actually Paulette did it all.  And what a Fantastic Party it was.

20171029_140450.jpg She bought a Dragon blow up and named her Hildegard….lol…Hildegard even flapped her wings.  Everyone took their picture by her.  If you notice, Steve even hung gray sheets behind to cover up the walls.  It was so cool.  We played Halloween back ground music.

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The first game we played was Apple Bobbing…..We had maybe 4 people who tried this.  I’m sure they were afraid they would lose their teeth…..Tim tried and tried, but couldn’t get one.

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Next Nancy tried.  She tried several times and finally she stuck her whole head down in the water and sunk her teeth into it at the bottom.  Ohhhhh My Goodness….so so funny.   She came out dripping….Look how deep the water is….

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Now along came Pat, she gently lined up her apple that had a nice stem on it.  She tried several times and finally got it….Hurrrrrayyyy….Finally our Unicorn (Paulette) tried, but to no avail.  She couldn’t either….I think her horn was in the way…..

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Next we had Chicken Soup game…..Their was 3 little rubber chickens that fit on your finger like a sling shot.  You shoot it into the soup bucket to win……Its crazy how they made a simple game so funny…..

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You now how those dirty ole men talk, all about sticking their finger in the chickens hole???…..I’ll let your imagination work for you……lol…

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Then we had a costume contest.  Now unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures of the winners, as we were trying to figure out who they were through popular vote of hand clapping…..We ended up with 4 ladies and 4 men for the winners.  The Winning lady was Princess Trailer Trash.  She wore a stunning Tiara and a beautiful styled white trash bag……The Winning man was a Blind man who dressed himself…..Totally clashing colors and a huge funny tie, and sun glasses and beach hat……So so funny…..Now the next thing was the Pumpkin Pinata.

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It was filled full of Adult Goodies…..little liquor bottles….beads, glow in the dark bracelet’s, and other toys.

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Everyone had to go outside.  Steve had strung a rope between 2 Palm Trees.  He constructed the Pinata so it could go up and down and side ways with him pulling it around.  20171028_211449.jpg

You should have heard them all screaming like little kids.  They swung and swung….The Pinata flew…..up and down……from one side….to the other side….at least once they would get a direct hit….. Everyone kept yelling at them….”Swing to the left….No Swing to the right”….They just kept laughing and giggling….

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Then candy would start falling out……out came beads….and of course then the little alcohol bottles started tumbling out.  They were like little kids…They were screaming, “OH this is so much fun…I feel like a kid”…..We gave them little lunch bags for their goodies.  They were all over the ground looking for it in the dark.  They were all unruly children.  They wouldn’t even wait till a person was done.  As soon as something would fall out, somebody would dive to the ground to get it.  I really thought someone was going to get hit….

 

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Debbie and Rick, Our Retired Park Managers

 

Finally the Pinata was over and we all went back in.  During this time everyone was also eating snacks.  We all brought snacks to share.  Their was plenty.  Crackers and dips, finger foods, sausage and crackers, and Veggies.  Paulette supplyed plenty of candy.  Little Smore kits, and little Cotton Candy bags, with a black plastic spider in it.  So much food and candy.  So what to drink?  Well you could by soda,   or just BYOB…..and they did….We do have the wine, beer and alcohol drinkers in the park.  But it is only Social Drinking….It makes them all Happy.…..and that’s they way we like them…..HAPPY….

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We also had one other guest with us….Esmeralda, (Paulette) came to do Tarot card Readings…..20171028_201110.jpg

She really became popular.  Everyone wanted their fortune told.  Even Prisoner Ben, as I think he was worried about being sent back to prison….lol..

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Then Pat our Flapper girl, was really enjoying it.  But their was one couple that came in cute as can be……FB_IMG_1509316506848.jpg

Our Clowns Marge and Gary…..Now they are the Temporary Park Managers

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How cute are they!!!!…..But unfortunately…..Clown Gary was getting himself in trouble…..

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I don’t know what he was doing here,   but I think he was assaulting the Prisoner Ben…..You just never know what to expect with these 55+ parks…..Then Later these pictures showed up on Face Book……  The Clowns are in Trouble….The Cops are Here!!!!

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What on earth is Happening?????  The cops have Clown Gary spread eagle against the cop car…..Clown Marge looks like she’s saying  “Help, We didn’t do anything”……

Well, it turned out.  We had a break in at the park.  Marge and Gary were dressed for the party when the cops came.  As Temporary Managers, they had to go over to the trailer when the cops came, as the tenant wasn’t there.  Can you imagine what the cops thought when those 2 showed up on a golf cart????…..FB_IMG_1509316424791.jpg

I bet they couldn’t stop laughing….I’m sure they had stories to tell back at the station……Those Old people sure have fun…..Or those Old People,  their all crazy???

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Never the less, it was a Great Party,  Lots of Fun, Lots of Prizes, and Lots of Candy……

So That’s How Old People in a 55+ park Celebrate Halloween……HaPpY HaLlOwEeN 2017 

 

 

 

 

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Ok, So Where is Rich….lol…

Last year after we were done at Adventureland, we came back home and Rich worked the harvest season for a local farmer.  He has helped him before.  But because we arrived on Oct 1 he missed a couple of weeks.  We also had to leave early cause we needed to be in Harlingen by Nov. 1.  So we tossed the whole idea around on how he could work the whole season this year.  The best answer was for him to go up alone and I stay here.  We couldn’t both go as I am working at the theater, and I need to be here by Nov. 1 when the park officially begins the Winter Texan season, and I begin my duties.  If I had went with him for several weeks, and left the motorhome in Texas, we would have had to tie it down to the concrete patio, because of Hurricane season.  We didn’t want to do that.  I realize now after Hurricane Harvey how important that is.  Also what about the cat?  Kitty would probably have a heart attack in the car heading north.  He doesn’t like change….He’s an old man.  lol  Then how would I get Kitty back down, if I took the train back down?  So this was strictly a financial decision.  I stay in Harlingen and keep my job, and Rich drove home and works for the farmer for approximately 8 weeks till harvest is done.  So that is where he is.  He is staying at Scott and Brandys and driving the semi from the fields to the Elevator.wp-1491479408704.jpg

So Rich decided to take my Lumina as I was having problems with it.  About once a week it would not start.  I would call him to come to the Dollar Store or to the Cinemark 10 after work.  He would turn the key and ……BINGO…..It would start.  He said, “How can I fix something that we don’t know what’s broken”.  Well unfortunately he’s right.  So I learned that if it didn’t start, wait 10 minutes and it would.  Now that means I can’t buy any ice cream or popsicles, as I might end up waiting in the parking lot for 10 or more minutes for the car to start……lol…..So we decided he would drive it back and trade it.  He drove it all the way to Illinois, ……No Problem…..Went up to Canada to visit to our Canadian friends Kathy and Glen at their campground…..No Problem…Back home to Illinois…..No Problem….So one morning he decided to use my key instead of his….Guess what????  That was the answer.  He Had a Problem….It is was the coded key.  My key had problems and his did not.  Funny isn’t it.  All over a lousy key.  But before he left, we looked at the web site of a local car dealer we usually go to.  We picked out a car we liked.  I left it up to him to get a good durable car, and trusted his decision.  Well turns out my sister-in-law, Connie, liked the Lumina, so she bought it and Rich bought the Chevy Equinox that we had seen on line.

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I know I’m going to love it.  Rich has really been enjoying it.  He also decided to move up from the ANTIQUE flip phone, to a real …..SMART PHONE….I told Tammy to take him and help him out with a purchase.  He insisted he would not get one if he couldn’t pay cash.  He would NOT do the payment plan on AT&T like the rest of us do.  So Tammy took him to a place that sold refurbished phones and he bought a Motorola for $100.  He now has a new toy…..He has been busy learning.  Tammy and Cameron has taught him so many things.  He’s learning so much on his own.  I was afraid he would get frustrated and go back to the old flip phone.  I know now he won’t.  He is enjoying it.  He has it programed into the Bluetooth in the car, downloaded Pandora, and is now learning about pictures.  His Email is set up, also Google account so he can store pictures in the cloud.  So Far No Facebook.selfie

Here’s his first selfie in the car.  Cameron and him were playing one night when he first got the phone and the car.  Cameron said the were laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes.

The fields were late this year, so he is getting some other things done.  The rental house needed a few things.  We have a new tenant.  Hopefully this one works out.  We haven’t had a whole lot of good luck.  Poor Tina has to take care of them for us.  This last time I posted the house on Craigslist to rent.  Tina had immediate response and was able to rent it fast and choose who she wanted.  So much better than FB sites.  They always had young irresponsible kids wanting to rent.  He also has been doing a little work around our house.  The garage roof has some issues.  Of course he also spends time in Scott and Brandys bar.  “ONE PAWZ PUB”  Taco Mondays and Karaoke on certain Fridays.

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But they finally started a little over a week ago in the fields.  They have more corn this year than soybeans.  They have most of the soybeans done, and were started on the corn.  Now of course it had to rain off and on several days, so that puts everything on hold till the equipment can get back into the fields.  This are a couple of Richs photos with his new phone.  Its quite good.  I’m impressed.  IMG_20170928_143950732.jpg

This is the truck he is driving.  The farmer picks the corn or soybeans and loads the corn from the combine into the farm wagon.  The tractor brings the wagon to the truck on the edge of the road and fills it.  Rich drives the truck into McNabb to the elevator where they unload it.  There the elevator sends it to the dryer and also stores it for the farmer, until it is sold later and trucked to the river and loaded on a barge.  So as it stands now it might be close to Thanksgiving before he’s done.  The farmers goal is to be done by then.  That is rather late, as he was done earlier last year.

So here at the Park, the Winter Texans are beginning to arrive.  Their trickling in, but it wont be long and they will come flying in.  You’ll see many campers and Motorhomes on the highways.  They will be going all over in the Rio Grande Valley.  I gave my notice at Cinemark 10 they other day.  I only have 2 weekends to work.  Its been a good run, but the time has come to be done.  Its time to start thinking about fun things to do this winter.  I’m got many ideas already, so time to begin.  First thing we are having is a Halloween Party.  One of the girls here Paulette, loves Halloween.  Its her favorite Holiday.  So she is decorating and coming up with great ideas for a fun party.  She even found a cool Piñata..FB_IMG_1507928278949.jpg

Look whats going to be in it……….lol…………Its an Adult Piñata…..She even wants us to do Apple Bobbing????   Now just think…..Old People have false teeth…..We might have a tub full of teeth.  The apples will still be floating……hahahaha….Yea,  I’ll let ya know how that turns out….20170101_001600.jpg

I’ll close this time with a photo fromOne Pawz Pub”.  Scott and Brandy’s bar.  Remember last Christmas, Rich was down at 77 flea market by Brownsville and bought a clown skeleton???  We called it Sally.  She road on the back of the golf cart for a couple of weeks.  Well, Sally has taken up drinking at “One Pawz Bar”.  She has perched herself by a table and is looking pretty comfortable.   She brought friends also.  lol

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Home for 3 Weeks & Headed South……

Its been almost a month since I wrote the last blog.  We finished at Adventureland on Oct 1.  We headed home to Illinois on Oct. 2, parking in the lot of Scott’s house.  It is half way between both girls.  Tammy is in McNabb about 3 miles south and Tina is in Granville 3 miles north.  So Good Location, but bad location for phone or internet service.  Were 90 miles from Chicago, but may as well be at the South Pole….Hardly any reception…..Complaining does no good….Believe me…I’ve tried…

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First Day of School 2016

Rich’s plan for this time at home is working for a farmer hauling grain from the field to the elevator.  This is what he did everyday except rainydays for close to 3 weeks.  I began by babysitting the grandkids, Tina’s and Ed’s kids Miley and Austin and of course Dexter.  Tina and Ed both had to leave for the week for work related projects.  Ed went to Wisc. and Tina headed to southern Illinois to learn about the new computer system at the court house that links the State Programs.  On Monday I went in at 6:30 for my Orientation….lol….When to get them up, when and where to take them to school, when the bus comes, homework and bedtime.   So this was my first week home.  All went well until the last day of school, which was Thur.  Austin had the tablet in his hand before school and I took it away.  We got everything together and I took them to school.  Even Dexter goes with, cause Tina said he wants to go and send his kids off to school…lol.    Well about an hour later, Tina text me.  She just received a text from Austin’s teacher.  He snuck the tablet into his book bag and brought it to school.   Ohhhh Geees……Strike One…..The next day was no school.  The kids sleep in bed with mom and dad, Dexter too.   They woke up in the morning but didn’t come out till late.    They were being good so why both them…..Right…..Later that afternoon just before Tina came home, the kids went outside.  Miley came inside and layed down on the floor to watch TV.   I heard Austin outside yelling but didn’t really pay attention.   Tina pulls in the drive and comes in….”Why is Austin crying, locked up in the swimming pool pen”?    Really    Miley of course was grinning.   Then Dexter is so excited to see his mom.  He was jumping all over her.  He went and got a present which I thought was underwear or socks in his mouth.   Tina starts screaming,  “I smell SHIT OMG ”  She looked at what Dexter had in his mouth that he was so proud of……Austin had “SHIT” his underwear sometime during the day and left them lay.  Dexter had picked up the underwear which was full and was chewing it….I was rolling in laughter….It was so funny…..Strike Two….

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First Day of school 2016

A few days later, I stopped by and visited.  Tina said to me, “I sure don’t know what you were doing Friday morning when the kids woke up”.     Why.   Well those sweet children had some fun.  They had the bed full of coloring books and crayons.   Now Miley being a carbon copy of her mother, thought of something really cool to do.  She took rolls of scotch tape and ran it around all the bottle lids in the bedroom.  Then she moved on to the bathroom.  All lids were taped shut.  She even took the shampoo and conditioner out of the shower and replaced them with peroxide and other things.    Hahahaha…..Good One Miley.…Then she asked if I could sit again the following Friday…..Really…You Trust Me?…..

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This is what happens when I babysit

That next Friday, Ed’s dad had just flown in for several days.  He had things to do, so I went over around 10am.  We were talking the kids came out laughing.   They had put on makeup.  Of course I had to take their picture.  Did I get in trouble for that?  No.   I got in trouble for NOT closing the doors to the cabinets.   One is always suppose to check those cabinet doors and make sure their closed for pictures.   lol.

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Carly’s 1st day of Pre-School

I also spent time at Tammy’s house.  I always like to hear her stories of her patients at Kindred Hospital.  She is a RN and always has some interesting patients.  She really loves her work.   Little Carly is now in afternoon preschool.   She is so happy to go to school and ride the bus.  She is really growing now.  She insists her hair is always done.  She has natural curly hair.

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Cassidy, 2016. So Pretty

Cassidy is 12 and is becoming quite a young lady.  Tammy and the Kids went to Boggios Orchard and took some great Pictures.

I spent the day with Cassidy and we took this picture.

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Cassidy 2016, at the Mansion

We went shopping to the Mall, of course Bath and Body.  Bought some fun stuff.  We went to her favorite restaurant, House of Hunan, Chinese buffet.

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Now Cameron is 18.  He hates his picture take, but I thought I’d put this one in again.

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Cameron loves his car but he is a typical teenager.  The cops stopped him because of no license plate light.  So did he fix it?   NO   He simply taped a Flashlight to the car…..OMG….Just don’t forget to switch it off or your batteries will run down….lol…Or is this a BERGEN THING?……lol…..It’s kind of like Rich’s saying “Why fix it before it brakes” We also had some issues with our 2 rental houses.  It called for a dumpster…..Yuck……But fortunately part of those problems were resolved before we left.  Miley had her 8th birthday.

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Mileys 8th Birthday Oct. 2016

Her mom bought practical this year.  She is sick of toys.  Miley wanted her room painted so, she got paint brushes, roller with pan and paint samples.  She loved it.  Halloween was coming up.  Tammy took the girls to Peoria to buy costumes.

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Carly’s Halloween 2016

Carly is Strawberry Shortcake.  So cute.

 

Austin and his Friend….Miley…

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This is some of Scott and Brandy’s cliental for Halloween at One Paw’s Pub……They don’t drink much….lol….So after almost 4 weeks, we headed out to Harlingen Texas…..Eastgate MH & RV Park.….Our winter home, also our next workamping job.  Just like last year, Rich in Maintenance and I’m an Event Coordinator.  We visited many friends while home, took care of business, visited the kids and grandkids, and away we went…….

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Southward bound…….from chilly weather wearing jackets to 90 degrees weather…..YES, we are here…..Left on Thur and arrived on Sunday…..

Harlingen Texas, the home of the Winter Texans